I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1079 Division of Power
The Mzab are a large tribe in southern Algiers, with a population of nearly 70,000 and a territory of more than 80,000 square kilometers.

However, most of their territory is in the Sahara Desert, and they have only managed to obtain a small oasis where crops can be grown thanks to an underground pipeline irrigation system built over hundreds of years.

It's not surprising that Joseph was so isolated from information; the people here had basically only ever interacted with Algiers and the Tughut tribe to the east. In their minds, Algiers were probably the most powerful tribe.

Lavalette and Berthier exchanged glances, and Lavalette continued, "Your Highness, should we send an army to Mzab?"

The Chief of the General Staff added, "800 infantrymen would be enough."

Joseph was about to nod instinctively, but then he suddenly remembered something and raised his hand, saying, "No need. Since the Mzab people are so loyal to Algiers, let's grant their wish."

Mzab is mostly desert with few natural resources, making it ideal as a habitat for the Algiers Guard.

He then instructed Berthier: "Tell Colonel Ney to leave some 'defensive gaps' in the mountain pass east of Medea..."

Medea is located south of Mittjja, the capital of Algiers. Its territory is mostly occupied by the Atlas Mountains, with only a few mountain passes on the westernmost side leading to the southern city of Egwat in Mzab.

……

In the Tunisian Legion camp outside Mittja, Jemil sullenly drank "fermented grape juice"—he couldn't drink alcohol, so this was all he could drink.

Just as he was drinking his eleventh cup, an officer entered his tent, raised his hat to him, and smiled, saying, "Colonel, Colonel Ney invites you to the welcoming ceremony for His Excellency the Governor tomorrow morning."

Jemiller glanced at the newcomer, Nei's advisor, and immediately waved his hand dejectedly, saying, "I've already been dismissed. I'm not needed in this situation..."

The order issued by the General Staff two days ago dismissed him from his post for "disobeying military orders and launching an attack without authorization."

The staff officer stepped forward and whispered a few words in his ear.

Jemille was instantly sober, stood up abruptly, and said at attention, "Thank you, Your Highness! I will certainly not let him down!"

9 a.m. the next day.

Amidst a procession of hundreds of French soldiers, led by a troop of imposing hussars, the carriage of the newly appointed Governor of Algiers, Count Uster, entered the city under the watchful eyes of thousands of citizens of Mittigia.

The original Diffen Palace, which was also the parliament hall of Algiers, had been renamed the Governor's Palace. Uster, accompanied by officers such as Ney and Jemille, as well as more than twenty Algiers nobles, walked in arrogantly.

The governor was clearly very concerned about his residence, and kept pointing out the places that needed to be adjusted: "There, replace it with a portrait of His Majesty the King."

"The garden is too small; it needs to be three times larger..."

“They want to build a wall around the hall, but I don’t like this open-air style…”

The Algiers nobles looked at each other, waiting for the new governor to issue decrees or new policies, but all they received was the order from Uster to begin the banquet.

It wasn't until the evening ball ended, when a nobleman from the Imperial Guard who had previously served as the tax collector of Mittja cautiously inquired of the governor about future tax adjustments, that Uster lazily replied, "No adjustments. Everything remains the same as before. Just send the taxes due to Kuroglu to me."

The Algiers nobles were overjoyed. If the French only wanted money, it would be even better for them than during the rule of the Algiers Parliament—the French were unfamiliar with the situation here, and they had many ways to take advantage of them.

That evening, Mustafa Shefik, one of the elders of the naval faction in Algiers Diffan, as well as Diffan's maritime representative and financial advisor, was summoned by Uster to the governor's private reception room.

Ustra, reeking of alcohol, led Shefik to the window, pointed to the faint lights in the city of Mittja, and exclaimed, "What a beautiful place! You can see gold coins everywhere!"

After the translator quickly relayed the information, the latter nodded with a forced smile, "Yes, Your Excellency. I'll send someone to deliver the gold coins to you tomorrow—no, tonight." Uster patted him on the shoulder and asked, "How many gold coins do you have?"

"How much? Uh, about 1 riyals..."

Uster looked dissatisfied: "That's too little."

"So, how much do you think would be appropriate?"

"One million, no, two million rials! The more the better!"

Shefik gasped, his face contorted with distress. “This, Your Excellency, you know, is beyond my capabilities.”

Uster smiled. "I know you don't have it. But some people do, and far more than 200 million rials."

"You mean?"

“Damn Algiers’ Guard,” Uster said. “Their army has been wiped out by Major Arrigo and the Tunisian Legion. But their gold coins are still there.”

Shefik was overjoyed: "Don't worry, the assets of those escaped Imperial Guard officers will all appear before you within five days."

After the French army entered Mittja, a large number of Algiers' guards fled to Morocco or Mzab, but because they left in a hurry, they did not take most of their property with them.

Uster shook his head: "No, I'm not just talking about those who escaped, but also those who didn't. I want them all!"
"Furthermore, I've heard that those large tribes have also accumulated a considerable amount of gold coins; you must find a way to get them for me!"

Schefik stared in shock, his eyes wide.

The majority of the tribes in Algiers are Berbers. The governor's intention is to completely plunder and eliminate both the Imperial Guard and the Berber forces!

He looked at Uster cautiously and said, "Your Excellency, this may not be so easy..."

“Go ahead and do it boldly, by any means necessary,” Uster said casually. “I will fully support you. Of course, if you are really in a difficult position, I can find someone else to do it.”

Sheffield's heart pounded.

For over a century, the naval faction, the Imperial Guard faction, and the Berber faction in Algiers have been vying for power, yet none of them could overcome the others, forming a triangular force that checks and balances each other.

But now that they have the support of the French, Algiers will be their naval faction's domain from now on!

He immediately knelt down and said excitedly, "From now on, all the captains and sailors, along with me, will be your most loyal servants!"

at the same time.

In a café outside the governor's mansion, Jemille looked around and frowned at Hadem Rahman, the president of the Mitijah Chamber of Commerce, in front of him: "I remember I said 'a safe and reliable place'."

The latter hurriedly replied, "Please rest assured, this is my shop. Every barista and barista here would die for me at any time."

Jemüller nodded in satisfaction, picked up his coffee cup, sniffed it, and looked up at Rahman: "Algiers should, and must, be inhabited only by us 'Romans'."

(End of this chapter)